A research done by the Athens Gynecological Hospital “Lito,” among 7000 patients from all over Greece destroys the myth that pregnancy harms woman’s bone system. A team of gynecologists, rheumatologists, and dieticians have been observing for years the development of thousands of Greek women and conclude that women with four or five births are more protected from osteoporosis than the ones who do not have children. Giving birth does not affect either way the possibility of osteoporosis.

According to Greek doctors, if a pregnant woman takes in 1200 milligrams of calcium per day, independently whether with the food or with a pill, the danger of having osteoporosis during menopause is minimal. “It is a known fact that 45% of women develop osteoporosis after menopause. The key to avoid this is in the healthy diet,” says Dr. Achileas Giorgiadis, rheumatologist and one of the researchers. He gives few reasons for the boom of the disease – the first one is the sudden increase of the average woman’s age worldwide. If in the middle of the 20th century it was 50 years, today it is around 80. The second reason is the decrease of milk consumption as a main food and its replacement with soda drinks. The third one is the lack of exercise. If one century ago a man was walking 15 km per day, today he walks one. The last reason is the change of the living style of women. Today women smoke, drink alcohol and coffee, work long hours in the office.

The participating dieticians in the research came to the conclusion that losing weight helps a woman to stay away from osteoporosis. Their conclusion is that low calorie, balanced and healthy diet, combined with exercise – walking, dancing can guarantee strong bones.